Shears

ABSTRACT

Shears of the pivoted cross-blade type have contour handles, one of which is contoured to accept the thumb and heel of the user&#39;&#39;s hand, and the other of which is contoured to accept the fingers of the user&#39;&#39;s hand, the blade pivot is spring-loaded for biasing the blades to an opened position, with provision being made for adjusting the tension of the spring to accommodate the shears to different users or uses.

United States Patent Charles et a1.

[ Jan. 21, 1975 SHEARS Inventors:

Assignees:

Filed:

Appl No.:

U.S. Cl.....

Int. Cl

Wesley N. Charles, Springfield; Robert L. Panaia, Wilbraham; Bruce H. Hunter, East Longmeadow, all of Mass.

Wesley N. Charles, Springfield; Robert L. Panaia, Wilbraham, both of, Mass.

Oct, 25, 1973 Field of Search 30/254, 261, 268, 341;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l-leinisch 30/341 Wales 30/261 Botts 30/261 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters Attorney, Agent, or FirmRoss, Ross & Flavin [57] ABSTRACT Shears of the pivoted cross-blade type have contour handles, one of which is contoured to accept the thumb and heel of the users hand, and the other of which is contoured to accept the fingers of the users hand, the blade pivot is spring-loaded for biasing the blades to an opened position, with provision being made for adjusting the tension of the spring to accommodate the shears to different users or uses.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN21 I915 3.861.038

' SHEET 1 0r 2 PATENTED JANZ] I975 sum 2 or 2 FIG.5.

SHEARS A primary object of the invention is to provide shears having handles which are so contoured as to fit the hand of the user perfectly, thereby greatly increasing user comfort while concomitantly greatly reducing user fatigue.

Another object is to provide means for biasing the blades to an opened position, once again to reduce user fatigue.

As another feature worthy of particular note, the aforementioned biasing means is capable of adjustment wherefore the shears may be adapted to suit the strength of the user.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of shears embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, exploded view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through the shears blade pivot.

The shears hereof include a pair of crossed blades and 12 each of which includes a forward or cutting portion 14, an intermediate or pivot section 16 and a rearward or handle support section 18.

The cutting portions 14 includes the usual mating cutting edges 20, as is known.

The blades are pivotally connected at their point of intersection by a blade pivot means 22 to be described.

Blade 12 has a handle 24 fixed to its handle support section 18 and blade 10 has a handle 26 fixed to its handle support section 18, the handles preferably, but not necessarily, being of solid or structural plastic ultrasonically sealed to their respective blades.

Handles 24 and 26 are contour molded to provide a comfortable fit for the hand of the user.

Handle 24 extends laterally outwardly from its blade and has a first depression 28 adjacent its rearward end for receiving the heel of the users hand therein and a second depression 30 on its upper face for receiving the thumb of the users hand therein.

Handle 26 is provided on its lower face with finger depressions 32 for receiving the users fingers therein.

This handle arrangement provides for great comfort while materially reducing user fatigue.

Blade pivot means 22 includes a cap screw 34 having a recessed head 36 and a shank 38 having an unthreaded cylindrical portion 40 and a threaded flattened portion 42.

Cylindrical portion 40 of shank 38 passes freely through an annular opening 44 in blade 12 in the manner of a clearance fit, while flattened portion 42 passes through a complemental slot 46 in blade 10 in the manner of an anti-torque fit.

A nut 48 having interference-type threads is threaded on flattened portion 42.

A ring-like spring 50 is disposed within recessed head 36 of cap screw 34 and has a first offset tang 52 receivable in an opening 54 in head 36 and a second offset tang 56 receivable in one of a plurality of openings 58 spaced circumferentially about opening 44 in blade 12.

Spring 50 provides opening torque to the blades, bi asing them to an opened position, torque being transmitted through screw 34 by the clearance fit of the shaft in opening 44 in blade 12 and the anti-torque fit of the shaft in slot 46 of blade 10.

Torque exerted by spring 50 can be adjusted by positioning tang S6 in any one of the plurality of holes 58 in blade 12, such being a highly desirable feature permitting the shears to be adjusted to the needs of the user.

For instance, if the shears are to be used by a man with great strength in his hands, the tang is positioned to increase spring torque. On the other hand, if the shears are to be used by a woman with smaller and weaker hands, the tang is positioned to reduce spring torque.

We claim:

1. In shears of the type comprising a pair of crossed, pivotally connected cutting blades, the improvement comprising: contour handles on the blades, one of the contour handles being provided with depressions for accepting the thumb and heel of the users hand and the other of the contour handles being provided with depressions for accepting the fingers of the users hand, means for biasing the blades to an opened position comprising a ring-like spring disposed at the pivotal connection between the blades and fixed at one end to the blade pivot and at its opposite end to one of the blades, and means for varying the torque of the biasing means comprising a plurality of openings in said one of the blades for receiving the end of the spring whereby the torque of the spring may be varied by moving the end of the spring from one opening to another for permitting the shears to be adjusted to the needs of the user. 

1. In shears of the type comprising a pair of crossed, pivotally connected cutting blades, the improvement comprising: contour handles on the blades, one of the contour handles being provided with depressions for accepting the thumb and heel of the user''s hand and the other of the contour handles being provided with depressions for accepting the fingers of the user''s hand, means for biasing the blades to an opened position comprising a ringlike spring disposed at the pivotal connection between the blades and fixed at one end to the blade pivot and at its oposite end to one of the blades, and means for varying the torque of the biasing means comprising a plurality of openings in said one of the blades for receiving the end of the spring whereby the torque of the spring may be varied by moving the end of the spring from one opening to another for permitting the shears to be adjusted to the needs of the user. 